Churchill Style: The Art of Being Winston Churchill

There are men, and then there are men. As one of most prominent statesmen of the 20th century, Winston Churchill easily defines the second category. Churchill is well known for his contributions to British (and world) history as the Prime Minister who willed the Limeys through WWII. His life and contributions have been accordingly documented by various and sundry publications.

Largely though, writers have used historical, political and military context in their musings on the British Bulldog. Barry Singer, in his book Churchill Style: The Art of Being Winston Churchill ($15), takes an alternate and rewarding route. So many books on Churchill have breezed over the man’s fascinating personality — when told he could not end sentences with prepositions in a speech, he supposedly quipped “This is the sort of tedious nonsense up with which I will not put!” — in favor of the perhaps more concrete public image and timeline. Singer places Churchill’s quirks and style at the forefront, examining Churchill’s particular tastes in autos, books, cigars, dining, fashion, home, libations and pastimes. What better way to create a stunning read than to profile the personal aspects of a man who, after inviting FDR into his audience while stark naked, simply said, “You see Mr. President, I have nothing to hide from you!” For a man such as Churchill, Singer’s approach provides us with entertainment as well as a grass-roots understanding of the historic figure we know.

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Before he took the stage at Radio City Music Hall last June, nine times to nine sold out audiences. Before his decade in seclusion. Before he walked away from a $50 million contract and onto a plane bound for South Africa. Before his two season show on Comedy Central elevated him to a demigod in social satire and racial comedy. Before Half Baked, Robin Hood: Men In Tights and performances in the Washington Square Park fountain, Dave Chappelle left high school after the bell rang and got onstage at a Tuesday night open mic. He was 14. He killed it.

You don't just build a smoker and start cooking in it. Like any other major project, the idea turns into an obsession, which turns into a real possibility, which turns into a mess. Only then can you see what your initial idea has twisted itself into. We know this, and so does Frédéric Morin of Joe Beef. In this excerpt from the restaurant's cookbook, Morin explains the tortuous path from a childhood of smoky fiddlings to an adulthood of...smoky fiddlings. And, ultimately, a working, self-built smoker at Joe Beef in Montreal.

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Whether you have a cheaper grill or a top-dollar wood-fired jam, one thing should be made clear: grills don’t cook steaks by themselves. Tom Mylan, owner of The Meat Hook in Brooklyn, NY, explains in this excerpt from his book.

Comprised of the sirloin with all of its various muscles intact (including the tenderloin), the Man Steak is a beautiful thing to behold. Tom Mylan, owner of The Meat Hook, a whole animal butcher shop in Brooklyn, NY, shares a recipe for one from his cookbook.

The Briefing

Long gone are the days when the commuter bike was an old-school mountain bike with a potpourri of parts and a rear wheel that was only roughly true. A rise in people looking to build fitness, lower their carbon footprint or simply have fun while getting around has created a big market for commuter bikes. Here are some of our favorites for 2015.